This invention relates to a process for preparing and packaging soya based foodstuffs. More particularly but not exclusively, the invention relates to a process suitable for the preparation and the packaging of soya based foodstuffs such as taste alike replacements and/or substitutes for meat based produce and to the prepared and packaged foodstuffs.
The use of raw and/or processed soya concentrate in the preparation of taste-alike proteinaceous substitutes for meat based produce, or so called meat analogues, is well known. A disadvantage, however, of these soya based foodstuffs presently available is that the foodstuffs to date only have had limited acceptance, due to various factors including texture and/or taste unacceptability, flavour fatigue, crumbling and/or disintegration of formed portions such as patties, meatballs, stew chunks and the like as well as inconsistency of such processed meat substitutes for corned-hash, meat loaves and sausages.
For the purposes of this invention the term "soya based foodstuffs" must be interpreted to mean foodstuffs using "raw soya concentrate" and/or "processed soya concentrate" as basis. Further, the term "raw soya concentrate" must be interpreted to mean textured soya concentrate "TSC", textured vegetable protein "TVP" or soya isolate, commonly available from crushed soya beans which have been defatted and de-husked, or any combination of two or more thereof. Similarly, the term "processed soya concentrate" must be interpreted to mean raw soya concentrate wherein substantially all the undesirable soluble carbohydrates and proteinaceous inhibitors have been removed from the concentrate. The undesirable soluble carbohydrates typically will include raffinose, stachyose and verbascose, while undesirable proteinaceous inhibitors will include anti-tryptic factors such as Kunitz factors and Bowman-Birk factors.
It is accordingly an object of this invention to provide a process suitable for the preparation and packaging of soya based foodstuffs such as taste alike replacements and/or substitutes for meat based produce aimed at overcoming or at least minimising the above disadvantages as well as to provide such packaged foodstuffs.